A. Diesel-powered school buses are equipped to maintain an interior temp of at least 53 degrees, which our buses ususally do. The extreme temperature made it very difficult for the buses to warm up. We always encourage our students to dress warmly based on weather conditions.

A. Safety is what drives our bus replacement plan. A school bus is not a corvette and there’s a lot more to maintaining a safe school bus fleet than just a little maintenance here and little maintenance there. School buses must pass a 230 plus point inspection every six months. After 10-13 years of winter cycles […]

A. The High School West/East shuttle buses have been leaving High School West consistently at 2:47 pm each day according to our GPS data. That gives the students adequate time to gather their belongings and catch the shuttle bus to High School East.

A. Shen school buses do not have cameras that detect when cars pass their red lights and stop sign when picking up and discharging passengers. There is no New York State law that allows these cameras to be used to enforce the illegal passing. New York Association for Pupil Transportation (NYAPT) which represents School Transportation […]

A. Routing has the following elements which determine pickup and drop off, distance from home to school (for all riders on a bus combined, the bell schedule, the amount of time required for the bus to stop and pick up each child, space at the bus port, and what each bus is required to do after […]

A. The Town of Halfmoon leases our buses each year to provide transportation to their residents for the Halfmoon Summer Camp Program. The program uses our buses and drivers, but is run by the Town of Halfmoon. Please contact the Town of Halfmoon for further information.

A. Thank you for sharing your concerns with us. It would very helpful if we had the actual date you observed this driver and if you could give us the actual location so we can look at our GPS data. At any rate, we will look into this issue and counsel the driver.

A. Thank you for your question. The issue of school bus driver shortage is not unique to Shenendehowa Central Schools but is a nationwide problem. There are several reasons for the school bus driver shortage. Data shows that for every bus driver who resigns or retires, school districts and private contractors must find 2.5 applicants […]

A. There is no such policy as mentioned in your comments. What is required is for students to stand at their assigned bus stop where they are visible as the bus approach. Students need to dress appropriately for the weather. Students need to be visible to the bus driver for their own safety. We know from […]

A. Thank you for sharing your concern with us. We do not agree that we have under qualified school bus drivers. School bus drivers receive 27 days of intense training bus in the classroom but more so on the roadway. We are very familiar with the accident you speak to. In this particular situation, and due to […]

A. We do apologize for the misunderstanding. Baseball bats are allowed on the bus only if they are placed inside a bag which would keep the bat from becoming a flying projectile in case of an accident. Here’s a link to the Shen Transportation website, you will find more information on what the rules are […]

A. We do our best to be at bus stops on time, our data shows that we are on time 96% of the time. There are issues that do make us late which are beyond our control such as weather, traffic or mechanical breakdowns with a particular bus.

A. Drivers are obligated to teach children how to wear the seat belts and, from time to time will encourage them to wear them. Drivers are not obligated to tell students to wear the seat belts on a daily basis. We hope parents encourage their children to buckle up just like they do in their own […]

A. This is true. Once students are onboard the bus they are not allowed back off. Bus drivers assume full responsibility for the safety and welfare of the students once students board the bus. A student who needs to get back off the bus would need to ask the bus driver to get permission from […]

A. There are many factors that impact the school bus ride home. The NYS Commissioner of Education has ruled on numerous occasions that a bus ride of 1.5 hours is not unreasonable. The Shen school district attempts to keep bus rides under one hour when possible. We strive for both safety and efficiencies. Note, while […]

A. We have never received a call from anyone about this. Our GPS and live Onscreen program doesn’t indicate a problem for that bus. Please call the transportation department to address any transportation concerns.

A. This is a question that is often asked. The bus driver starts the route on time every day. Sometimes the route runs later and sometimes it runs earlier depending on a couple of factors such as traffic, weather and the number of student who may/may not board the bus on any particular day. We […]

A. School buses are built to federal standards and are made tight for safety purposes, maximizing the “compartmentalization” factor which helps keep passengers in the seat in the event of an accident. Newer buses will not have any more leg room than older buses.

A. High school and middle school students may ride a different bus, if this is a onetime deal, upon presentation of a bus pass to the bus driver. Bus passes are available at your school office, processed with information obtained from a note from the parent/guardian. Please note, bus passes will only be honored on […]

A. Every bus is on a 56-day, preventative maintenance schedule. Every day, before the bus leaves the bus compound, the school bus drivers make a pre-trip inspection. Unfortunately, once in a while things do go wrong on the roadway. In this particular case, there were no children onboard and the bus was close enough to the […]